by STEVE HAN
South Korea’s port city of Incheon, about 15 miles southeast of capital Seoul, was given the honor to host the Asian Games, a multi-sport quadrennial event for athletes in the world’s largest continent. The Games began last week, with the likes of Psy starring in its opening ceremony on Friday.
Many of the athletic events are now underway, but quite a few non-sports related news from the Asian Games are making the headlines in South Korea. Here’s our top three weirdest things that have happen at the Asian Games so far.
A drunk 53-year-old South Korean man intrudes into North Korean athletes’ village. The man in question allegedly followed food suppliers into the restaurant of the village and began shouting at the players during their lunchtime. Police said North Korean judo athletes were at the restaurant, but the man’s verbal outburst wasn’t targeted specifically towards them.
South Korean Christian group tries to evangelize Muslim athletes. Countries participating in the Asian Games include those from the Middle East, where many athletes are devoted Muslims. Convinced that they can convert the Muslim athletes, some South Korean protestants were handing flyers containing bible passages written in English until they were stopped by the security guards.
Japanese field hockey team gives the rising sun flag to Korean high school students as “souvenirs.” The rising sun flag, a symbol of the imperial Japanese army during its colonization of much of East Asia, is seen in the same light as Nazi Germany’s Swastika. Walking off their temporary practice field at a local high school, the Japanese hockey team reportedly handed a fistful of pin badges with the rising sun flag symbol to the school’s students.
Photo courtesy of Sports Keeda
